MAGHERAFELT-born music agent, promoter and songwriter turned author Paul Charles has just published his new memoir Adventures In Wonderland.
In the new book, the Co Derry man reveals how he went from a music-mad teen to one of the most important agents and promoters around, enjoying a 40-year-long career working with some of the biggest acts, including Van Morrison, The Kinks, The Police, U2, The Undertones, Dire Straits, Carole King, Meatloaf, David Gilmour, BB King, Gerry Rafferty, The Waterboys, Dexys Midnight Runners, Emmylou Harris and John Lee Hooker, before becoming an acclaimed writer of crime fiction.
Charles has also been involved with the Glastonbury Festival for many years as booker for its Acoustic Stage, with his own artists topping the festival bill on more than one occasion, while his own songwriting has featured on albums by Kendrick Lamar's K.Dot, Talib Kweli and Norah Jones, along with four albums by his own band, Fruupp.
He says: “There are times when I have to stop and think – did all of that really happen to me? And the frightening answer is: yes, it did!
"There have been incredible highs and devastating lows along the way. I have tasted extraordinary success – and on more than one occasion feared for my life.
"It’s been a proper rollercoaster ride. But I hope readers of Adventures in Wonderland will also recognise how much I have enjoyed being involved in so many different aspects of music – and working closely with artists of outstanding creative ability.
"It has been an incredible privilege and wonderfully exciting - so far!"
Adventures in Wonderland is available to buy now from hotpress.com/shop. Paul Charles will be in conversation with Kieran Gilmour at The Court House in Bangor on Sunday May 21 at 2pm (courthousebangor.com), will appear at The International Literary Festival Dublin (ilfdublin.com) on Friday May 26, face interrogation by Undertones man/DJ Mickey Bradley on Thursday June 8 at Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Belaghy (seamusheaneyhomeplace.com) and take questions from Ollie Jennings at Charlie Byrne’s Bookstore in Galway on Friday June 9 (charliebyrne.ie)
